1. Field of the Invention:
The present invention relates generally to the placement of customers into queues providing access to resources. More particularly, the present invention relates to adapting queues to sequence customers according to their resource usage.
2. General Background and State of the Art:
The standard queueing algorithm for customer placement is the First In First Out (FIFO) where the most recent arriving customer is place at the end of the queue and the first customer in the queue is given access to the resource when the resource becomes available. This is typical of call centers responding to customers calling in for information or ordering.
In the call center case the customers are generally unknown and there is no a priori means to select their queue placement or sequencing. However, there are many applications that draw from a defined customer pool, as when a customer must log-in to a site for which each customer has provided identifying means (e.g. log-in ID and password). Log-in can also be performed based on the calling telephone number provided by caller ID, over the interne by TCP/IP protocol with its IP addresses and MAC addresses and such, or as programmed into a customer communication protocol.
As an example, consider an at-home resident support system aimed to facilitate the home stay of customers, rather than having them enter expensive assisted living facilities, by providing them with support including:                live attendant contact        shopping and delivery support        home and garden maintenance support        psychological and medical aid        transportation        exercise        education        financial and bill paying        legal and accounting services        social connection        entertainment        loved one interaction        